Focus On Virgin Atlantic Airlines

Published: April - 1999

Still on the subject of travel to South Africa, should travel agents and individual hunters give Virgin Atlantic a try on their next flight from the US to Johannesburg? London-based Virgin Atlantic has a number of flights these days from the US, many of which connect conveniently with VA's nightly flight on to Jo'berg from Heathrow. Fares are competitive with rival British Airways. As with any British airline, the big question of course is whether VA is going to let negative British attitudes toward guns and hunting slop over into the way their counter and baggage people treat travelling hunters.

Last month, we spent a great deal of transatlantic phone time trying to sort out how VA feels about guns and travelling hunters. Our main contact was Bill Todd, VA manager of baggage procedures and systems. He said VA was indeed keenly interested in the hunting market and wanted very much to learn how to service it, while conforming to the many gun regulations promulgated by the British government. He says VA employees have been explicitly told it is none of their business what travellers do at their destinations. To date, he says he has not heard any gun-related complaints. "Employees have been told how to handle firearms, and that's it. They are not to make any remarks about them other than those required to do their job," Todd said last month.

What about extra baggage charges for firearms? Most airlines waive those charges and Todd indicated VA employees may do the same, but he was not able to commit to that over the phone, indicating the technical baggage limits is two bags weighing a total of 70 pounds. According to regulations, a firearm would cost $128 extra one way to Jo'berg, he said. We told Todd it was crucial to waive these charges if VA wanted to be competitive, and he said he understood that.

Hunting Report subscribers who fly VA are urged to let us know how this matter plays out. That leaves the important matter of two-airport transfers, which........(continued)